Fun Facts on Rome

Rome is one of the most important places in the history of western society. Much of modern culture was originated here. There are many aspects of society that were heavily influenced by what took place in Rome in the ancient past. One of the most amazing things about Rome is the fact that you can still go visit it today. There are many other Rome facts though!

The city is certainly a popular tourist destination. In modern times, it is a part of Italy. It has become one of the most popular places to visit in the country and it is easy to understand why. There is an abundance of history to be seen within the city and people can’t resist trying to soak it all in. Rome is a place that captivates the imagination of people of all ages.

If you are interested in Rome, then you might like discovering some Rome fun facts that will teach you a bit about the city. Learning about some of these aspects of Rome will help you feel better prepared if you decide to plan a trip there. Other facts on Rome might simply intrigue you as odd bits of trivia. Read on to discover many things that you likely don’t know about Rome. We’re going to make sure to add a few facts about ancient Rome that are absolutely strange and a few Colosseum Rome facts.

Interesting Rome facts #1

It Was Founded in 753 BCE

One of the best facts on Rome is that it’s a really ancient city. It was found all the way back in 753 BCE by a figure who is known as Romulus. The Roman legend tells the story that Romulus had a twin brother by the name of Remus. These children were abandoned around the area where Rome would be founded when they were just babies. A friendly she-wolf took pity on these babes and raised them as her own.

Once the two brothers matured to adulthood, it is said that Romulus killed his brother Remus. He went on to found and rule over the city of Rome. Of course, a lot of this story seems as if it is more mythology than true ancient history. Regardless, it is interesting to know that the legend behind the founding of Rome is so dramatic.
To this day, the symbol of the city of Rome is the she-wolf. This is a nod to the wolf of legend that found Romulus and Remus as babies. Wolf imagery is popular in the city because of the legend.

Facts Rome: the ancient city

Rome interesting facts #2

Rome Is Also Known by Other Names

There are a few other names that Rome is commonly referred to as. One of the most common other names for Rome is “the eternal city.” This name seems very fitting in the modern era as Rome has certainly proven to be a city that stands the test of time. It is a city that existed in the ancient past and is still very relevant today, giving it an eternal significance.

Another name for Rome is “Caput Mundi.” This is a Latin term that translates to “the capital of the world.” You can certainly make a case that it is the cradle of western civilization as we know it and it was indeed the most important city in the world during its day. Today, Rome serves as the capital city of Italy and still captivates the hordes of tourists that flock to its location. Click here to read about the best places to stay in Rome and here to read about Rome in a day. We will mention some of the most unique hotels in Rome towards the end of this article.

Facts on Rome for kids: Rome and its names

Interesting Rome facts #3

There Is a Peculiar Law to Protect Cats in Rome

As proof that Rome fun facts can sometimes be a bit weird, there is a peculiar law to protect cats in the city of Rome. A law was passed that says that cats should be allowed to live in a place where they were born without being disturbed. This means that you can’t remove cats from a location forcibly. Due to this, you will commonly see many stray cats all over Rome and it isn’t unusual to see kittens sleeping among the ancient structures that the city is famous for.

Facts Rome: the cat situation

Rome interesting facts #4

Ancient Romans Would Vomit in Between Meals

It can’t get much stranger than this ancient Rome facts. You see, in the ancient past, Romans would vomit in between meals so that they could continue to enjoy feasting. People with eating disorders do this in modern times and the type of negative effects that it has on their bodies are well known. That being said, Rome was a very decadent culture in many ways so it shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that people didn’t want to stop enjoying their food.

The people of ancient Rome were known to indulge to excess. It wasn’t uncommon for people to partake in giant feasts and participate in orgies. Although these things seem rather hedonistic by modern standards, they were fairly commonplace practices in ancient Rome. This does not mean that all ancient Romans did these things, though, as it was only the well-off members of society who could indulge in such pleasures.

Facts ancient Rome: the vomiting

Interesting Rome facts #5

Only Free Men Were Allowed to Wear Togas in Ancient Rome

One of the facts of ancient Rome is that you had to be a Roman citizen in order to wear a toga in Rome. You see, Romans had slaves and those slaves needed to be differentiated from the free population. There were laws that stated that only free men could wear togas and that free women were to wear stolas. Stolas were the female version of a toga and were made of linen.

Togas and stolas were seen as signs of citizenship. It is hard to imagine a time of such class differences for many people as these types of practices have been abolished in modern times. Even so, it is interesting to know that they went to such lengths to keep the slave population separate from free-born Romans.

Facts Rome: the toga

Rome interesting facts #6

Many Roads Were Built in Ancient Rome

Another fact about Rome is that Romans famously built a very complex road network that stretched across vast distances. For the time, this was a very impressive feat. By the time of the fourth century, Romans had built a road network that stretched 53,000 miles. This is impressive considering the tools that they had to work with during this period of history.
You should also understand that Roman miles measured about 4,800 feet in distance. Miles were marked with a milestone to help people judge the distance. There is even an old proverb that says “all roads lead to Rome” that was inspired by the famous Roman road network.

Facts on ancient Rome: the roads

Interesting Rome facts #7

Ancient Roman Women Dyed Their Hair

Another fun fact about Rome is that hair dye isn’t something that you think about when picturing ancient times. Interestingly, ancient Roman women did indeed have access to hair dyes and they used them to make fashion statements. Using goat fat, Roman women were able to dye their hair in a variety of different colors. The most popular colors of the ancient times were blonde and red, according to historians.

Rome facts kids: the hair

Rome interesting facts #8

The First Shopping Mall Was Created in Ancient Rome

This fact about Rome is funny! Rome was truly a city that was innovative and many wonderful things were created there. You will be interested to hear that the first shopping mall was created in ancient Rome. Sometime between the years 107 and 110 CE, Emperor Trajan created what was called “The Trajan’s Market.” This was a market that had multiple different levels and sold all sorts of goods.

People could go to this market to buy their groceries but they could also find many other types of goods. This market concept was very unique for its time as you didn’t see multi-level shopping complexes anywhere else at this point in history. This market was surprisingly modern in its design ideas, making it all the more remarkable.

Facts about Rome for kids: the shopping mall

Interesting Rome facts #9

The Colosseum Was a Place of Pure Spectacle

The most popular historical site in Rome today is the Colosseum. This legendary arena was the site of many entertainment events and gladiator battles in the past. One of the best facts about the Colosseum of Rome is that the Romans were among the first to flock into sizable arenas in order to indulge in spectacles. There are other examples of structures built for entertainment in the ancient world but none are quite so enduring as the Colosseum.

The Colosseum Rome facts list only gets longer. In modern times, the Colosseum is in remarkably good condition considering how old it is. People can visit the location and look around at the different areas where all of the battles took place. In its time, this arena was something very unique in the world. It is a place where Romans were entertained and enthralled by real combat situations. Keep reading to learn more about the Colosseum in Rome facts.

Rome the Colosseum facts: the spectacles

Rome interesting facts #10

Many People Died in the Colosseum

People have been dying in the Colosseum, most certainly. No facts about Rome Colosseum list would be complete without mentioning that thousands of lives were taken at this location. It is a bit somber to think about how many people were forced to fight for the entertainment of the masses. Historians believe that over half a million people lost their lives in gladiator battles of some sort at the Colosseum.

One of the interesting facts about the Colosseum Rome is that humans weren’t the only living beings that suffered at the Colosseum, though. At least a million wild animals were sacrificed at this location or killed in some form of combat spectacle. It has been a very long time since any of these battles have taken place as the last gladiatorial battles were said to have been fought in the year 435 CE. The legacy of this arena lives on through tourism and modern fascination with the idea of arena fighting showing up in fiction.

As there is a lot of Colosseum of Rome facts, let’s take a quick look at these ones:

There are over 80 entrances at the Colosseum of Rome and about 36 trap doors to create special effects.

If you’re wondering why the Colosseum is broken, it’s because of natural disasters, earthquakes mostly.

Do you know any other Colosseum Rome facts?

Facts about the Rome Colosseum: the deaths

Interesting Rome facts #11

Rome Attracted Just Under 13 Million Tourists in 2013 Alone

The capital of Italy is a definite tourist attraction as it was able to attract just under 13 million tourists in the year 2013 alone. People flock to Italy for many reasons and Rome tends to be the most popular city that people want to visit. This isn’t surprising but it is important to know that Italy very much relies on money brought in through tourism for much of its income. I

Italy itself derives around sixty percent of its annual income from tourism and tourism in Rome is a significant chunk of that income.

Rome facts for kids: the tourism

Rome interesting facts #12

Modern Rome Is Highly Populous

Rome was famous for being a bustling city in the ancient past and that fact hasn’t changed in modern times. Things may operate a lot differently now but Rome is still a huge hub for many people. Around 2.7 million people live in Rome as of the time of writing and if you count the metropolitan areas around Rome, you can add another million to that number. This is a densely-populated area that is very popular for a number of reasons.
The tourism industry definitely brings in the most money in Rome. There are a lot of businesses that thrive in the area, though. This is an area where people want to be and it will likely continue to increase in population in the years to come.

Interesting Rome facts #13

The Trevi Fountain Brings in a Lot of Money for Charity

As this list is in definite need of some feel-good Rome fun facts, it is good to know that the Trevi Fountain brings in a lot of money for charity. Every single day, the Trevi Fountain collects an average of 3,000 Euros that are given to charity. The Trevi Fountain is a beautiful attraction to visit and people throw coins into the fountain very readily. This money is given to a Catholic charity that uses the funds to help out underprivileged families in Rome.

Fun facts on Rome: the Trevi Fountain

Rome interesting facts #14

There Are Over 900 Churches in Modern Rome

If you want to go to church in Rome, you are certainly going to have a plethora of different options to choose from. There are well over 900 different churches in modern Rome. Some of these churches are very old buildings that have been in the city for a long time and others are more modern structures. You will definitely be able to find churches that have beautiful architecture for you to marvel at.

Fun Rome Facts: the churches

Interesting Rome facts #15

Rome Has Been the Capital of Italy Since 1870

Rome wasn’t always the capital of Italy as it took the title from Florence in 1870. Florence is a very important city in its own right but it is undeniable that Rome is incredibly significant. It has served as the capital of Italy ever since and remains one of the most populated cities in all of Europe.

Facts of Rome: the capital

Rome interesting facts #16

There Is a Museum Dedicated to Pasta in Rome

One of the most peculiar Rome interesting facts you will hear is that there is a museum dedicated to pasta in the city. This museum can teach you everything that you will want to know about pasta. If you’re a big fan of Italian cuisine, then this could be an interesting attraction for you to spend some time at. Pasta is certainly a huge part of the Italian culture. The first reference about it is from 12th century!

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Did you know any of these facts about Rome? Do you know any other Rome interesting facts? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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